Sunday, February 20, 2011

While I am here sharing my latest fave reads, I wanted to share our cool news, too - SECRET OF THE SANDS, our award-winning mystery novel, has been on several Kindle Bestseller lists for many weeks now. Thank-you SO MUCH to our readers & fans!! You mean everything to us :)

Here is a screen shot of our Amazon.com standings (link included below):

I was inspired by The Secret, and when I saw The Power, my curiosity was immediately piqued. The cover was so lovely, the description was captivating, so I gifted myself this book. Although at first the teachings of this book may seem simplistic, they are actually quite profound. The knowledge and wisdom imparted through its pages have changed my life for the better. I put the recommendations to work in my daily life and experienced immediate, ongoing positive results and changes. It is something I will forever be grateful for. I will continue to use The Power in my own life, for the rest of my life. I am a more positive & happy person because of it.

Not only is this a deeply meaningful book, but it is nothing short of a work of art. The design and illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. Aesthetically, it is such a pleasure to read through, and the imagery serves to drive home its points. The Power is a book that I will give to my friends and family for special occasions, and whenever I notice someone in my life in need of its teachings.

I rarely read a book twice, but The Power is a book I will refer to again and again throughout the rest of my life. It is that good, that meaningful. I wish everyone would read it and embrace what it teaches. The world would be a much happier, kinder place. I am uplifted by having read it and enjoy the benefits regularly. Bring some positive energy into your own life, change your relationships and circumstances for the better by reading The Power and putting its teachings into practice. A new you and a new world awaits...

I am finally catching up on writing my book reviews (which I do whenever I read something I love & find worth sharing), so here is one of my latest:

My review:

Deep Storm - 5-stars

Unputdownable thriller!

Deep Storm is one of the best thrillers I've ever read. It has flawless pacing, an incredibly interesting story, an excellent sense of place, non-stop action, and just the right amount of character development. It has a tantalizing touch of the paranormal, a mysterious historical event that keeps surprising and unfolding, along with a great setting. The setting of an offshore oil rig and deepsea lab offers an intimacy of place, exotic to the everyday person, that envelops the reader. It should come with a warning that says "Contents Under Pressure" - you feel the deadly pressure of the ocean you are taken deep into, along with ever-mounting action and the relentless unveiling of fascinating mystery after mystery. The story stays tight to the protagonist's point of view, so you feel you are walking the halls, seeing and experiencing everything right along with him. There were many times where I felt like I was looking characters in the eye and feeling the mounting tension all around. Action and reactions were always believable. You are never separated from the central action and purpose of the story. I was riveted.

I've read a lot of thrillers and after reading Deep Storm I came to better appreciate the solid pacing that keeps the reader turning pages, balanced with just the right amount of description of environment and action so that you can picture and imagine everything, but not get bogged down in endless showy descriptions that sometimes can seem like author showmanship and slow the story down. This never happens here, though it is superbly researched. Deep Storm is just excellent storytelling, with a perfect blend of action and intrigue. The only thing I could say might have been improved upon was that I wish the explanation at the end could have been developed a little further. There's so much build up to it, it's such a cool concept, that I would have liked to stay with it just a little longer and explore it a bit more. Having said that, it is sufficient and I can understand why it was done the way it was.

I honestly could not put this book down, the story grabs you from page one and never lets go. It's a 5-star read all the way. Every day I looked so forward to diving back into the story and eagerly did so. I think this is the fastest I've read any book. Lincoln Child has the gift for penning thrillers, no doubt. Highly recommended!

About Rai

Rai Aren is the co-author of the bestselling mystery novels, Secret of the Sands, Destiny of the Sands & the author of Revelation of the Sands. This archaeology adventure trilogy explores the mysterious origins of Ancient Egypt & the Great Sphinx of Giza, uncovering long-buried truths & a powerful secret that is as dangerous as it is awe-inspiring…
Rai is also the author of the short novel Lost City of GoldSecret of the Sands kindle edition - only $2.99!Destiny of the SandsRevelation of the SandsFor 12,000 years a dark & deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...The SECRET OF THE SANDS trilogy is a little bit like mixing INDIANA JONES + THE MUMMY + NATIONAL TREASURE